JEFFERSON CITY, MO (April 17, 2023) – The full Missouri senate will consider legislation to give communities a more meaningful voice in the development of new landfills on their border. Members of the chamber’s Local Government and Elections committee voted 5-1 Monday to advance Senate Bill 590 and House Bill 909 to the senate. Both bills would allow cities to have a voice in the development of new landfills within a mile of their border, extending the current half-mile buffer zone allowed by statute. Senator Rick Brattin (R-Harrisonville) is sponsoring SB590, while Representative Mike Haffner (R-Pleasant Hill) is sponsoring HB909, which passed the full House in March on a 139-16 vote.

“The landfill being proposed in my community could take in more trash every day than any other landfill in Missouri, yet the developer has been evasive and refuses to engage concerned neighbors” said Sen. Brattin. “The secretive nature of this process speaks to the need for this legislation which would give stakeholders a voice and require open and transparent discussions about landfills that would affect generations of Missourians.”

In an April 11 Local Government and Elections committee hearing, the developer of a proposed landfill along Kansas City’s southern most border revealed no official planning process has begun, despite her earlier claims legislators were “changing the rules in the middle of the game.” Jennifer Monheiser made further contradictory statements about the amount of land she owned in the area between 150 Highway and 155th Street and between Horridge Road and Peterson Road, directly bordering the city of Raymore and Cass County. Monheiser told lawmakers she owned more than 500 acres when public records show her LLC, South KC Acquisitions only owns 29 acres. 

“This developer has repeatedly denied our requests to learn more about her plans, which raises serious concerns,” said Raymore mayor Kris Turnbow. “These fears were validated when she implicitly acknowledged the negative impacts of landfills by promising Senator Barbara Washington she would not put a landfill in Washington’s east Kansas City district.” 

Turnbow and Raymore city leaders are thankful for the time and consideration of the Senate Local Government and Elections Committee members regarding this crucial legislation.

Every surrounding community has opposed the south Kansas City landfill, and Congressmen Mark Alford (R-MO) and Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) have also denounced the development.

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